Plters



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. W. BROWNHILL.

APPARATUS FOR VENDING GAS.

No. 405,983. Patented June 25 1889.

wrmslsscs INVEINTOR :1 Q r No Model.) 6 Sheets-8heet 2. R. W. BROWNHILL.

APPARATUS FOR VENDING GAS.

No. 405,983. Patented June 25, 1889.

N g z;

WITNESSES (No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet a. R. WQBROWNHILL. APPARATUS FOR VENDING GAS.

No. 405,983. Patented June 25, 1889.

INVENTOR M WIT N ES 5 ES i %wM%/% re. PETERS, Phom-Lflhngupher. Wuhnglcrl. n. c.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6. R. W. BROWNHILL.

APPARATUS FOR VENDING GAS. v No. 405,983. Patented June 25, 1889.

Fig. 10

WITNESSES INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE.

RO\VLAND IVILLIAM BROVNHILL, OF BIRMINGHAM, COUNTY OF \VARVIOK, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR VENDING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,983, dated June 25, 1889.

Application filed June 12, 1888. Serial No. 276,847. (No model.) Patented in England May 13, 1887, No. 7,012; in France March 5, 1888, No. 176,142, and March 8, 1888,110. 176,220, and in Germany March 12, 1888, Nos. 22,737 and 22,738, and

March 20,1888,N0.23,292'

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROWLAND XVILLIAM BROWNHILL, engineer, a sub ject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 14:} High street,

Aston New Town, Birmingham, in the county of \Varwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Apparatus for Vending Gas,

' (for which applications for Letters Patent have been made as follows: Great Britain May IO 13, 1887, No. 7,012; France March 5, 1888,1ni-

tial No. 170,112, and March 8, 1888, Initial No.

176,220; Germany March 12, 1888, Initial No. R. P. 22,737, March 12, 1888, Initial No. R. P. 22,738, and March 20, 1888, Initial No. R. P.

I 5 23,292,) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

2 This invention relates to an automatic saleand-delivery mechanism for giving out a de terminate quantity of gas on the samehaving been previously paid for by depositing a coin or coins within a receptacle or through a slit made in the inelosing-framing of the said antomatic means.

Thus the automatic salo-and delivery means, in connection with a gas-meter, consists, essentially, of a coin-lever, which is operated by the gravitating effect of a coin or coins introduced into the apparatus in prepayment for gas to be supplied.

Figure 1 represents in front elevation the indicating-dial used in connection with the Vending apparatus. Fig. 2represents, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, the said mechanism and auxiliary parts, in connection with them, by which means a predetermined quantity of gas is measured 1,0 out and allowed to flow through the meter after a coin which is the equivalent in payment therefor has been dropped through a slit and from thence passed into a balanced receptacle placed thereunder to re ;5 ceive it. The said mechanism, Fig. 2, is shown in the position which it assumes when it is in its normal position, or in a position. of non-supplying. It will be seen, also, that the catch or stop is resting within the slanting notch made within the periphery of a meas- 5o uringout penny-disk-that is, a disk which indicates twelve pennyworths of gas if it makes one rotation. Fig. 8 represents a like view as Fig. 2,but with the parts of themechan'ism in the positions which they assume after a coin has been dropped into the receptacle made to receive it in prepayment of a predetermined quantity of gas, as aforesaid. The coin thus deposited is shown dropping through the now open bottom of the movable 6o eoinbox (in dotted lines) after it has done duty in giving a proportionate or partial rotation to the measuring-out disks and releasing the going-wheels and drum of the meter. Fig. 4 is a top side plan and part horizontal section of the said mechanism, Figs. 2 and 3, thus showing more clearly the positions of the gas-measuring-out disks and other parts with respect to the trains of wheels which communicate motion to the indieating-lingeraxes. Fig. 5 represents, partly in transverse vertical section and partly in end elevation, the said mechanism and auxiliary and attendant parts. This view shows clearly the drumjiaxis of the meter from whence the motion for the taking of the parts of the mechanism back to their normal po sitions, as hereinafter described, is derived. Fig. 6 represents the combined. ratchet-wheel and penny measuring-out disk or wheel, and with a counterpoise pinion-axis, bracket, and intermediate wheel, which latter gears with the teeth of a toothed annulus carried by and made in one piece with a toothed wheel, whose only motion is received from the main axis, which is driven from intermediate wheels between the drunraxis. This combined annulus and toothed wheel is represented'at Fig.

7, and with a counter-poised pinion,'in a'position which it assumes after the measuring-out o disk,upon whose face it is carried,has passed through a distance of one-twelfth of a revolu tion and an equivalent to a distance equal to one pennyworth of gas. Fig. 7 is a face view of a toothed wheel forming part of the regist-ering mechanism and vending apparatus. Fi

8 represents front elevations of the penny measuring-out disk and the shilling measuring-out disk, shown one before the other. The front top part of the former is broken away to exhibit the slanting notch in the latter. This view also shows the relative positions of the notches with respect to each other after a coin'has been deposited for the prepayment of a certain quantity of gas. Fig. 9 is an elevation, partly in section and with parts broken away, illustrating a modified construction of the apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 10 is avertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig 10 is a central vertical sectional view of a modification of the valve shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figs. 1 to 8.

a is a gas-meter provided with the usual delivery or service pipe, and the gas passing therethrough is controlled by the drum of the meter, which is driven by the fiow of gas whose volume it measures. The chambers in the drum are of known capacity, and the revolutions are conveyed to a distance by trains of wheel work and then registered upon dials.

b is a counterbalanced lever moved by the weight of a descending coin placed within a receiving-box b placed at one end of the said lever, which is fulcrumed at 17 near the other end, thus making a lever with arms of unequal length, with the coin-box at the end of the longer arm and a swinging counterpoised weight b at the end of the shorter arm. The

mouth of the coin-box b. is hopper-shaped and comes under and opposite the lower open end of a depending guide a leading from a guide-slit a situated at the upper part of the inclosing-casing a of the automatic sale-anddelivery mechanism of the meter, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The coin-box b has an open and balanced bottom b consisting of a jointed and counter-poised short arm fulcrumed at b to a bracket-extension of the:

lever, and which said arm extends a short distance under the said "open bottom. The other end I) is heavier than the combined weights of both coin and short arm, so that if a coin be dropped through the slit into the coin-box the long arm and coin-box at its end descends and brings the counten poised or weighted end I) of the balanced bottom suddenly against a fixed coin-liberator b secured to the inside of the inclosing-casing. The momentum thus acquired by the falling box end of the lever raises the weighted end If and turns outwardlythe bottom, thereby liberating the coin c, which being no longer supported falls by gravity through the open bottom of the box into a receptacle or drawer placed thereunder to receive it. While the coin-box end of the lever descends the other and short arm rises, and as its fulcrum-pin turns with the lever a rising motion is given to the connecting-rod d ,and the jointed arm e whose outer end is connected to the upper end of the said rod, and withits other extreme end e jointed to the framing. The con-' ing hook ended pawl f with a flat spring f at its back for taking it up to the teeth of the ratchet-wheel g, which is disposed upon the face of a gas-measuringout penny-disk h, whose periphery has a notch or gap 7?, wherein the catch e, carried by the arm e drops or lies when the machine is at rest. The ratchetwheel 9 and measuring-out disk h are fast upon an arbor '5, whose outer end 7? is reduced and carries a finger i which indicates before a dial j, Fig. 1, the number of pennies up to twelve which have been deposited in the receiving or cash box k of the apparatus. Thus if one penny be passed through the slit and the apparatus worked then the finger i will have traversed one-twelfth of the dialfield. The arbor'i is extended rearward from the back of the penny measuring-out disk and working and taking its bearing in the middle of a ratchet-wheel l, which is made fast with a spur-wheel m, which is driven from the drum-axis m through intermediate Wheels and pinions m m.

Made fast upon the extended end of the arbor t' is a pinion n, through which motion is communicated to the shilling measuring-out disk 0, and shilling-finger p, which is carried by the neck of a toothed wheel 10 driven by a pinion p of a spindle 1), fast with a toothed wheel 10 which gears with the pinion n, as aforesaid.

The shilling measuring-out disk has a spur- 7 wheel 0 fast upon its back face, which is driven'by a pinion p on the axis 19 and, further, the shilling measuring-out disk 0 has a notch 0 like a notch k in the periphery of the disk h, wherein the catch e lies on its notch and the one cut within the periphery of the penny-disk h becoming coincident. The shilling-disk o and the spur-wheel e at its back is loose upon the extended arbor '5 and disposed between the pinion n and the back of the disk h. The catch e, when it lies within the notches h v necessarily lies also within the teeth of the ratchet-wheell, and thereby fixes the drum of the meter in a nondelivering position, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Working looselyupon the arbor t' isa toothed wheel q, having formed within its inside face a toothed annulus 1 upon the face of which a pinion 9 through the intervention of an intermediate wheel 9 carried by a bracket g rolls. This pinion has fast upon its axis a counterpoise-weight g turning-upon apivot 9, working within a bearing made within the face of the ratchet-wheel g. The bracket g is also carried by the ratchet-wheel, so that on the ratchet-wheel beingmovedforward'by the rising of the pawl f, through the descending movement made bythe long arm of the lever 17, the intermediate pinion g is made to roll upon the face of the toothed annulus g to an extent equal to the amountof gas which is to be allowed to be given out through the meter in return for the coin or coins deposited.

The pinion 9 which is fast with the weight 9 forms a clutch for making fast the wheel (1 and its annulus g with the ratchet-wheel g, disk h, arbor '1' 2' and pinion n, and shilling-disk toothed wheel at its back, and other intermediate wheels and pinions working in connection with the shilling-finger p. Thus the upward movement of the connecting-rod cl imparts motion to the ratchet-wheel g to the extent of six teeth, and raises the crosscatch 6 from the notches h o and teeth of ratchet-wheel I, while the backward move ment of the ratchet-wheel g makes the pinion 9 roll upon the edge of its intermediate pinion g which in its turn rolls upon the teeth of the toothed annulus which remains quiescent, as it is in direct communication with the meter-wheel in, through the pinion Z wheel Z pinion 1 wheel 1", pinion 1, wheel 1 and smaller toothed wheel which latter gears with the spur-wheel q. Thus as the ratchet-wheel moves forward to the extent of six teeth, as aforesaid, the pinion, intermediate wheel, bracket, and counterpoise-weight move round with it, and if a penny be the sum deposited then the said ratchet-wheel and parts carried by it will move round to the extent of one-twelfth of a revolution of the penny-disk, which will be indicated upon the dial by the finger i moving at the same time, as itis on the axis of the parts as aforesaid.

The counterpoise-weight of the pinion g rolls over with the pinion and performs a tumbler-like action, and whose function is to take the pinion upon the annulus to the extent of one complete rotation, which might not take place, as slight differences in the movement of the ratchet-wheel might be imparted by the motion of its hook-ended pawl.

The face-wheel has pivoted upon its face a lazy-weight g which is passive in its action, but counterpoises the action of the weight P.

It will be observed that the wheel p carrying the shilling-finger p, traverses the dial for a penny to the extent of one one-hundredand-forty-fourth of a revolution, and which said wheel p is speeded down by the reduction-wheels p p p.

The action of the apparatus is as follows: On a penny being placed through a slit a in a framing inclosing the automatic sale and gas delivery mechanism, it passes down the mouth of the guide a" and is deposited in the coin receiving box b which now becomes heavier than the parts carried, and in connection with the short end of the lever b, so that the coin-box descends into a position, as represented in Fig. 3 in broken lines, with the weighted end 11 0f thebalaneed bottom If of the said box striking itself against the coinliberator D which causes the said balanced bottom to open outwardly and liberate the coin, which, being no longer supported, falls by its own weight into a box below to re ceive it. The downward movement of the coin-box b presses upward the connectingrod d and raises the arm 6 so as to take the catch e out of the inclined notch h2 of the penny measuring-out disk 71-, notch 0 of shilling measuring-out disk 0, and from the teeth of the ratchet-wheel l, while the up ward movement of the swinging pawl f, after the catch has been raised out of the notches and from between the teeth, as aforesaid, (which thus liberates the meter and leaves free the disks,) gives a proportionate or partial forward rotation to the ratchet-whee]. g and disk h to an extent of one-twelfth of a revolution, and gives the shilling-disk 0 a proportionate or partial rotation to the extent of one on e-hun dred-and-forty-fou rth of a revolution, which diminution of speed is acquired by being driven from the pinion n on the same arbor that carries the penny-disk and ratchet-wheel. This one-twelfth movement of the arbor 1 gives to the finger 'i alike move.- ment in front of the dial, while the finger p is made to take only one onehun dred-and-fo rtyfourth movement of the said finger i and, further, the said backward movement of the ratchet-wheel g carries with it the pinions g 9 bracket g", weights g and makes the intermediate pinion g" roll upon the toothed face of the annulus to an extentequal to the ratchet-wheel, and on it making one complete rotation, as represented in Fig. 3, after the manner of a sun-andplanet movement, the wheel (1 and annulus (1 which are loose upon the arbor 1', are now locked with the ratchet-- wheel and parts moving with it, and as the annulus and toothed wheel 1 q are driven by the meter-dru m, it necessarily follows that iii-- stant-lythesaid toothed wheel and parts carried by it become locked. Then a counter movemen t equivalent to the meter-drum movemen t takes place and carries the pcnnymeasuringout disk and ratchet-wheel back until said disk comes opposite the under side of the catch e, and as the motion of the shilling-disk is governed by the motion of the penny disk,

then after a pcnnyworth of gas has been consumed the two disks turn back to their former positions with the notches h o becoming coincident, which then allows the catch or tooth e, which has subsequently been pressing upon their peripheries, to fall and lie within the said notches and between two of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel Z, thus stopping the meter and allowing the coin-box b to rise to a further extent equal to the depth of the notches, as aforesaid.

It will be further observed that after the coin-box has descended and allowed the coin from it to fall it then returns not quite to its former position, as the catch e rests upon the peripheries of the disks h and 0.

\Vhen more than one coin is placed within the coin-box, it is necessary that the same should rise before a second one is placed therein, and when, say, a dozen coins have been deposited the tun'ibling-weight and its IIO pinion g g make twelve tumbling revolutions, which'brings the notch of the penny-wheel at the top and in a position from whence it started; but as the shilling-disk has been advanced to an extent equal to one-twelfth of a revolution the notches are of different positions, so that the cat-ch rests upon the periphery of the shilling-disk, and until these notches become coincident the meter will deliver gas equal to a back rotation of the penny-disk and a twelfth back rotation of the shilling-disk, so that it will be seen that one hundred and forty-three coins can be intermittently deposited without the notches in the disks becoming coincident and gasgiven out to the value of one hundred and forty-three pence.

Fig. 9 represents my said invention provided with a valve for cutting olf and admitting of the flow of gas, instead of by stopping described arrangement.

the drum of the meter, as in the previously- The whole of the mechanism parts, with the exception of the ratchet-wheel Z, are the same. Thus a is the meter, a is the guide of the slit, and a the inclosing-casin g of the automatic sale-and-delivery mechanism. 1) is the counterpoised lever. b is the coin-box. b is the bracket at its end; 19 the axis of the lever, (the swinging counterpoised weight is not shown.) b is the balanced bottom of the coin-box. b is the fulcrum-pin, and b a weighted end of said bottom, which end strikes against an upwardly-directed coin-liberator b on the de-' scent of the coin-box. d is the connectingrod,connecting the arm c with lever b, and which arm is fulcrumed at a e is the catch or tooth shown upon the peripheries of both measuring-out disks h and 0.

teeth thereof the hooked end of the pawl f engages, and which pawl is pressed home by a spring arranged at its back for that purpose. The disks h and 0 have notches within their peripheries, while motion is communicated to the fingers "L p, which traversethe dial-field at their backs. Motion is communicated to the mechanism from the drum of the meter by spur wheels or pinions 0" r which former is fast upon an axis,with a pinion 7' at its end which gears with a toothed wheel m, and from thence to the trains of wheels of the mechanism, as aforesaid. The shaft of the wheel r extends vertically downward within a sleeve (see Fig. 10) and is driven and connected with the drum of the meter.

, rounds the valve-stalk.

g is the ratchetwheel upon the face of the disk h, with the meter and v is the service-pipe wherethrough gas is allowed freely to pass by the opening of a valve w, carried by a stalk 10 worked by a jointed arm 00, jointed at 1: and whose free end 00 rests upon the outer end of the arm e The stalk 4.0 of the valve carries an inner inclosing-tube w and works up and down within water placed within the interior of the outer casing 3 wherein water or mercury is placed, so as to form the seal in preventing the escape of gas through the gland 10 of which the inner tube 10 directly sur- The lower extension of the valve-stem is guided within a socket -t of which the edge of the disk-shaped top t formsthe valve-seat. Thus on the placing of a coin through the slit a the coin-box b descends and raises the connecting-rod, which lifts the arm e and the valve-stalk arm :1; upon its joint x thereby raising the Valve w from its seat, so as to allow gas from the meter which flows through the pipe 11. to pass into the service-pipe t1, and which said outward direction of the gas is indicated by arrows. The valve is kept open so long as the catch e rests upon the peripheries of the measuringout wheels; but on the notches or inclined depressions on the peripheries thereof becoming coincident by the reaction of the disks consequent upon being worked by the meter, then the catch or tooth 6 falls and lies within the said notches, which allows the valve to fall to its seat, and therefore shutting 01f gas in the meter. By this arrangement it is seen that the mechanism in being placed into a delivering-out position opens the valve; but after the predetermined quantity of gas has been allowed to pass through the valve consequent upon so many rotations of the meterdrum the valve is closed by the dropping of the catch within the notches of the measuring-out disks.

Fig. 10 represents a modification of the valve shown. in Figs. 9 and 10, in which an ordinary stuifingbox is used instead of. a water-seal, shown 'in said Fig. 9. u is the outlet from the meter, and o is the servicepipe through which gas is allowed to pass for use 011 the opening of the valve 20, which is movable by means of a stalk w directed vertically down a casing or sleeve 20 the lower end of which works within the middle of a barrel-casing w, which has a packing w surrounding the said lower part of the sleeve w and adjusted in position by a gland-cap u. The stalk is connected at its lower end to the said tubular. casing 10 and works with the upper slide 3, so that on the slide 3 rising the valve-stalk and valve with it is also raised, causing. the barrel-casing to be pushed over the lower extremity of the sleeve w and gas which might escape down the hole wherein the valvestalk works is prevented, as it would be intercepted by the packing, as aforesaid.

In applications filed by me the 12th dayof June,'1888, Serial No. 276,846, and June-29,

1888, Serial No. 278,565, I have shown and described gas-vending apparatus, and therefore do not herein claim what is described and claimed in said applications.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a gas-meter, of a valve located in the supply-pipe, and vending mechanism which is released and operated by the gravitatin g effect of a coin inserted within the apparatus or inclosing-casing, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a gas-meter, a valve located in the supply-pipe, and vending mechanism, of a detent normally holding the vending mechanism from operation and adapted to be released by the insertion of a coin within the apparatus, as described and set forth.

3. The combination, with automatic vending mechanism located between a gas-meter and a supply-pipe containing a valve, of a detent normally holding the said mechanism from operation, and adapted, when released after the insertion of a coin or coins within the apparatus, to allow a predetermined measured quantity of gas to be supplied equivalent in value to the said coin or coins inserted, as set forth.

4. The combination, in a gas-vending apparatus, of disks h 0, having notches h2 0 and the lever 6 having a tooth or catch 6, as set forth.

5. In gas-vending apparatus, the combination, with the disks 7L and 0, spindle i i finger i ratchet-wheel g, and pinion n, of the coin-operated lever b, and the intermediate mechanism, whereby, when the lever moves, the disks are operated, as set forth.

6. In gas-vending apparatus, the combination, with the disks 0 h, of the transmitting and reduction gear and means i" n p p p p 19, adapted for transmitting motion to the said disk and finger p, as set forth.

7. In gas-vending apparatus, the combination,with the disks h h and arbor i, of wheels q q and transmitting and reduction gear at Z Z 1- Z Z Z7 Z as set forth.

8. In gas-vending apparatus, the combination, with the arbor 'L' and disk and ratchetwheel h g, of a toothed wheel q, with annulus g and the wheels g 9 bracket g, and counterpoise-weight 9 designed for making and breaking connection between the said arbor and gear, as set forth.

9. In gas-vending apparatus mechanism, the combination of the measuring-out disks 7b 71 having notches 0 0 lever 6 having tooth or catch 6, and wheel Z, adapted for stopping the gas-flow, as set forth.

10. In gas-vending apparatus, the combination, with the wheel q and its annulus g and arbor '6, disk 71, and ratchet-wheel g, of a sunand-planet pinion g and its cognate parts 9 g, g g, and g adapted for making and breaking connection between the driving-gear and disks, as set forth.

11. The combination, with a gasaneter, of gas-vending mechanism comprising a counterpoise-lever 1) NZ)", with coin-box b adapted for controlling the operation of the vending mechanism through the gravitating effect of a coin, as set forth.

12. The combination, with the balanced coin-operated lever, of connecting-rod (I, catcharm 6 having catch 6, pawl f, and ratchetwheel g, as set forth.

13. The combination, with a meter and mechanism, substantially as described, for controlling the flow of gas and registering the value thereof, of a coin-operated lever connected to said mechanism and provided with a coin-receptacle having a hinged and weighted bottom, substantially as described.

14. The combination, with a meter and service-pipe, of gas measuring and registering mechanism, substantially as described, and a delivery and cutting off valve 10, connected to and controlled by said mechanism, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of April, 1888.

ROWLAND WILLIAM BROWNHILL.

Witnesses:

I'IENRY L. KERRETT, MiLns E. HUGHES,

Both of Birmingham. 

